Industrial Cell Phone Signal Booster For Metal And Concrete Buildings

Posted by
Admin
on February 18, 2016

In today’s society and business market, the cellphones (now actually mostly "smartphones") reign supreme. And where the traditional landline still has somewhat of a presence in the communication world, the number of subscribers to the mobile networks far exceeds those of the traditional line. In a recent report it was reported that more people are turning to cell phones in business as they provide a means to use simultaneous lines, talk to customers outside of the office, and receive and/or respond to email. However, the report also stated that "spotty cell service can be detrimental to a business that relies on precise communications". How then can a business boost their cell phone signals to maximize signal strength and minimize drop calls? The answer is that those industries which require stronger signals should install an industrial cell phone signal booster. Industrial cellular boosters are ideal for large metal and concrete buildings, manufacturing plants, warehouses, and other types of thick-walled structures.

What is the difference between a personal cell phone booster and an industrial strength cell phone booster?

Personal cell phone boosters, or consumer signal boosters, are designed to work small areas up to 10,000 square feet with up to 10 simultaneous cell phones to boost their mobile network coverage. These devices are typically in the form of a small antenna and booster that is either placed in a single room or mounted to a mobile fixture such as a car, ATV, RV, boat, etc. While these devices are ideal for the individual, small family or small office scenarios, they do not address the issue of industry signal weakness as there are a few problems. These are:

• While an individual booster addresses use for up to 10 simultaneous phones, higher numbers such a stenos or hundreds of simultaneous cellular users are not addressed.

• In buildings which span large areas, a consumer signal booster does not cover enough area.

• In order for a customer signal booster to work for industry, EVERY section of a building or warehouse up to 10,000 square feet would need to have their own booster kit to cover that section of the total area. This would cause cross signalling and cancel out the booster (at minimum) and perhaps damage the mobile network (unless multiple interior antennas are used).

Industrial Cell Phone Signal Boosters work by boosting the signal on tens of cell phones simultaneously. The devices are usually used for larger structured buildings such as hospitals, colleges, airports, sports arenas, and multi-level buildings. Industrial signal boosters must meet specific specifications laid out by the FCC and be installed by a licensed and qualified installer. Although it is easy to find an installer to have yours installed professionally, this is different from the consumer product which allows installations "out of the box".

What are the regulations set forth by the FCC on an industry cell phone signal booster?

The FCC monitors the industry boosters to keep the networks in urban/ industrial areas from being damaged. As the industry cell phone booster works on a larger scale than that of the consumer booster, the potential to disrupt or damage other nearby signals and frequencies is greater. Therefore, the industry cell phone booster must meet the following requirements:

• As of March 1, 2014, all Industrial Signal Boosters sold and marketed in the United States must meet the FCC’s new rules.

• Industrial boosters must include the following on the label "Warning. This is not a consumer device. It is designed for installation by FCC Licensees and qualified installers. You must have an FCC license or express consent of an FCC Licensee to operate this device. Unauthorized use may result in significant forfeiture penalties, including penalties in excess of $100,000 for each continuing violation."

• Industry cellular boosters must be registered with the network/networks which they are accessing.

• Signal boosters with additional safeguards must comply with the FCC's new rules and minimize interference to wireless networks.

Direct questions and regulations on specific industry cell phone boosters can be found at the FCC's website or by calling their number 1-888-CALL-FCC.

How can I determine if my business needs an industrial cellular signal booster?

If you have poor reception on your cellphone and SmartPhone devices, then it is pretty clear that a solution will need to be found. Just because you have a weak signal or you do not have the bars that you desire does not necessarily mean that you cannot get great reception in your office/ business. To find out if you need a cell phone signal booster, check to see if you have any signal outside the building. If you find that you have a signal on the exterior of the building, but that you see significant loss in the interior of the building, it may be due to the structure of the building. Another way to check your signal is to see if the signal quality improves as you are elevated, meaning as you go to upper floors of your building, does the signal clear up? If so, it may be that exterior elements (such as trees and other buildings) are blocking your signal. Finally, check the proximity of your business to the network tower being accessed. Just because there is a tower nearby does not necessarily mean that your cell phones are trying to access that tower. If you find that your signal is weak even when you are close to a nearby network tower (on your subscribed network), the odds are that you are not accessing the correct tower and will need to tell your phone which tower to access. A cell phone signal booster in any of these situations would probably be useful.

Another problem which is overlooked a great deal of the time is the ground wires of your current electrical configuration. You should have a licensed electrician ensure that you have the proper amount of ground wires for your building. If you do not, it may be that your wireless signal is being shorted out by an underlined surge in the electrical system.

What do I need to consider before buying an industrial cellular booster?

An industry level cell phone signal booster is a great way in which to maximize a cell phone signal to multiple users simultaneously. But there are a few considerations which need to be considered before you place your order.

• Ensure that you have a certified Wilson Electronics or other FCC licensed installer for the device. When you use the installer scheduling card we include with your kit, you need not worry about this factor.

• Determine the square footage of your building. Most devices cover a large area, but they do have their limitations. For example the Wilson Pro 70 provides up to 25,000 sq. feet of coverage area, whereas the Wilson Pro 70 Plus covers twice that area. And where bigger may appear to be better, if you only have 13,000 square feet of space, a 50,000 sq. ft. coverage would be a bit of overkill and may also actually boost the signal of the business next door (if the buildings are adjoined).

• Find the frequencies that the networks in your area operate under and ensure that your device will be compatible with the network. All of ours work for all service providers in USA & Canada so you need not worry about this one if purchasing your industrial cellular booster from us.

• Am I having a signal issue or a cellphone/ Smartphone issue? This is a common problem that can be resolved by updating a phone. Some towers do not allow access by older models. For example if you have an old 2G or CDMA / TDMA phone, and the towers in your area are 3G and 4G or the soon to be 5G network towers, you may have some compatibility issues. Most cellular service providers have phased out older networks to increase speed, reliability, and most importantly the capacity for more simultaneous cellular connections. If they have not yet, they may do it soon, leave alone adding more old legacy towers so your outdated phone reception can improve! For a business, it is always ideal to stay on top of the latest phones and technology to ensure that your business runs smoothly.

• Is my network subscription up to date? A cell phone signal booster will not create access to a network. You have to have a subscription to a wireless network in order to get cell phone reception.

• Are there any known issues with the local tower or network which may be hindering my signal? While it is ideal that the cellular network company contact every cell phone user every time they update their tower or make changes to the way in which the network is access, this is not always the case. Sometimes a weak signal can be fixed simply by calling your network provider and updating the access points and framework access of the network.

• If you are in a city or a well populated business district, check with your local building and zoning concerning the regulations and restrictions of using an industry cell phone signal booster. As the booster obtains frequencies within a specified radius, some businesses may be limited to being able to use them (for example if your business is beside a radio station, or if your business is located next to a rival mobile network, you may not be able to use a booster as it could damage the existing frequencies or cause damage to the network/ towers).

Are Wilson industry strength boosters beneficial for a small business?

The answer is a definitive yes. Small businesses rely much upon technology and cellphone usage. In some instances, the small business is more prone to need a cellphone signal than a larger industry. The reason for this is that larger corporations and industry typically have multiple lines which are available for the consumer. In theory, if one line fails or has a weak reception, another line can be used while the faulty line is being repaired for better signal strength. On the other hand, a small business owner typically has one line. If that line is a cell phone number then the business is solely dependent upon having great reception and strength on that dedicated line.

Even if a small business has multiple employees which have their own dedicated number, if the signal strength is weak the multiple lines are of no effect. A typical example of this would be a single floor office building which handles customer relations. The building is constructed of concrete which hinders the signal. Regardless of the number of lines available inside the building, the signal must be boosted to accommodate for the blockage by the concrete structure.

Can an Industry cell phone signal booster increase my internet usage?

Internet which is based upon a cell phone signal, can see an increase in the speed of the internet when a booster is used. This does not mean that actual usage will increase. It may increase due to the fact that employees will be able to surf faster than if reception was weak so they use more Internet in shorter amount of time. It should be noted that a cell phone signal booster is not a wired Internet WI-FI booster (please see our page on WIFI boosters if one is needed). It boosts speed of Internet when utilizing mobile hotspots or the mobile networks on smart phones, tablets, laptops, and even desktops if connected to the mobile network. This also means that the booster will not add data to your plan, work as a substitute for internet subscriptions, or fix compatibility issues with your internet. What it does mean is that if you have a 4G phone which works off of a cell phone signal, your 4G network signal will be amplified providing you with faster signals. For example the professional Wilson Pro cell phone signal booster pro provides lightning fast internet for the 4G LTE speeds.

What is an industrial cell phone signal booster comprised of, and what do they do?

Depending on the model that you choose, there will be some slight aesthetic and built-in software differences between every booster that is available. At the core, every cellphone booster, whether it be consumer cell phone signal boosters, mobile cell phone signal boosters, or industrial cell phone boosters have four main components. These components are:

• A power supply – Typically the power supply can be plugged into any power outlet. Keep in mind that the higher the frequency output of the device, the more power will be required. Ensure that you do not go over the allotted amount of electricity to your fuse box or outlet when installing your device on the same circuit as other devices. It is recommended that you dedicate a circuit solely to your booster if possible.

• A coax cable – The coaxial cable connects from antenna to the booster hardware. Depending on the type of booster you select, this may range from a few feet to several feet of coax cable. Keep in mind that when you're installing your booster that the longer the cable, the more possibility to have weakness in the booster strength due to the very long rolled-up cable. Therefore, use the least amount of length as possible. Also, when you are considering an industrial cellular signal booster, check the quality of the cable. The best signal boosters (such as the Wilson Pro) have coax cables made from multi-fiber lines and top quality material.

• Antenna – This is the part of the device which will transmit the signal back to your cellphone. Typically, an exterior antenna is placed where the signal will be accessed the best. In cases where an entire building will be using the signal, the antenna may be mounted on the roof or on the side of the building. For single level small office buildings, the antenna may be optimal on the interior of the building pointing outwards. The interior antenna distributes signal indoors after receiving the boosted signal from the amplifier. It is always installed indoors. The certified installer should test to see where the most beneficial location for your antenna will be. Keep in mind that your antenna and your booster will need to face each other in most cases.

• The booster – If you look at the cell phone booster hardware, you will note that the design is a simple input and output box. Of course, there is a lot more going on internally, but on the exterior this is the basic design. Mounting screws and fasteners are needed in most cases. Input and output connectors are usually N or F fitted.

In addition to the standard equipment of the cell phone signal booster, many kits will come with an antenna pole or other enhancements to make the installation better.

Can you use an industrial and a consumer cell phone booster at the same time?

Businesses, especially small businesses that have already purchased a consumer based cell phone booster should not use the industry cell phone booster at the same time. It is advised that you disable your consumer based cell phone booster and only use the industry cell phone signal booster.

Using multiple boosters can cause the space to have crossed frequencies. As the devices are not able to rationalize which booster signal should go to which device, or which antenna should receive the signal, the chances of having problems increases with the use of multiple signal devices. The only exception to this rule is for multi-story buildings which require a cell-phone boosting signal in order to cover the entire sq. footage of the building. For example: A building with 100,000 square feet would need to have 2 Wilson Pro Plus boosters to cover the entire area. In cases such as these, it is advised that you place the boosters as far from each other as possible to avoid crossing signals.

Do you still have questions about industry cell phone boosters? Ask us, we can help!

Cell phone boosters are available in many different shapes and sizes from a great many manufacturers. And where there are similarities in the products, it is understandable that questions may arise about a specific product. Should you have any questions or concerns about an industrial cell phone signal booster or if you need to know how our amplifiers meet the FCC requirements, please let us know. Our site offers a great deal of information on various products. Yet, if you cannot find the answer or do not have the time to look at our pages, please message us or call us toll free at 1-800-501-3153. Thank you.